Alleged abduction attempt leads to Saanich arrest

12/04/2012 06:14 EST
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Updated
02/03/2013 05:12 EST

CBC

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A 34-year-old man is in custody after an alleged kidnapping attempt Monday night in Saanich.

Police say the man grabbed a 17-year-old woman from her driveway at around 6:30 p.m. PT on the 1700 block of De Sousa Place, a quiet Victoria suburb. A second woman from the same residence confronted the alleged kidnapper and their screams and calls for help prompted multiple 911 calls.

The victim managed to escape after being pushed into a white U-Haul van and the suspect fled in the vehicle after hearing police sirens approaching the area.

"We believe the direct actions of the second 17-year-old young lady really assisted with allowing the initial victim to escape,” said Sgt. Dean Jantzen of the Saanich Police Department.

The second 17-year-old who intervened was taken to the hospital and treated for a laceration that required stitching. The victim was unhurt.

The van was later located by an officer in the 1800 block of Fairburn Avenue in Saanich, and investigators tracked the vehicle to a local U-Haul outlet which led to the identification and arrest of the suspect late Monday night.

Investigators have not found a connection between the suspect and the victims, but say the attempted abduction was not random.